Nothing Can Stay a Secret for Long
by jrw4300
Summary: Deep in the marshes of England is a well hid secret. But that secret is about to be revealed and the Magical World will never be the same again.


**Nothing Can Stay a Secret for Long**

**Prologue**

In the dark marshes of England sat an imposing manor. This manor was known for its dark iron fence that separated the people within from those who inhabited the local village. The village people from their early childhood to their dying day, all heard myths on what happen on the inside of the elaborate fence. Such mystery surrounded the manor yet none of the locals ever had the desire to explore the grounds. Even the mischievous young children of the village didn't dare approach the foreboding manor, for even at that young naïve stage of life they understood some things were better left untouched. Few of the villagers ever paid mind to this disinterest of the manor. However if they had, they might have noticed something magical afloat. For you see the manor was owned by a magical family and not just any magical family but the Rosier family. The Rosier family like any respectable pure-blood family went to great measures to be hidden from the mud-bloods that had encroached on their lands. The Rosier family like most pure-blooded had founded the areas where their manors where located however over time they had lost land to the muggles that resulted in muggle villages not far from their doorsteps. This might have deterred some lesser purebloods but the likes of the best used this opportunity for hunting purposes. For you see must pure-blood families were dark in nature not just because they were but because their families had always been dark and they had a good reason to be. Back in the early days of pure-blood society witches and wizards were burned at the stake by muggles. However all pure-bloods weren't dark though, some were light but those seem to grow fewer just like the number of pure-bloods.

With pureblood families dying out, places like Rosier Manor would soon be turned over to the closest family in line or the Ministry of Magic. What most of the villagers didn't know is that the manor had lost its ruling family and it had only one remaining person living within its walls, Artemisia Black. She had been like the manor, cast off from the pureblood world, or forgotten by the few that inhabited it. However nothing can remain forgotten for long expecially a certain Black. Artemisia or Artemis as she liked to be called by the few visitors she received, had a great power within her and an even greater legacy behind her. Artemis had arrived at the manor on the day of fifth birthday a day after her mother had died.

Her mother, Amilous Gaunt Black, had been murdered by a radical group of half-bloods and mud-bloods searching for revenge on all of the pure-bloods that had been a part of the Death Eaters during the war. Amilous had been far from innocent of evil deeds during the war but the ministry had found her innocent and she had been leading a better life for her only daughter. Amilous and Artemis had been at a pure-blood ball at the time of the murder a party to celebrate the lives that still inhabited the hallow halls of the pure-blood estate. This annual party was known as The Crabble Soiree to be exact. The Crabble Soiree could be traced back to the eighteen hundreds when the ton still ruled. The Soiree had stayed constant in many of its features such as the location, the Crabble townhouse located in the heart of the Magical Row and the number of the tipsy guest walking through the narrow halls. The Magical Row was where many pure-bloods had ancestral homes that were hidden from muggles. However even the forceful ward of the Row couldn't keep out the diaster waiting to come. The children like at any of the many parties that most pure -bloods went to were relocated the top floor where they were to be watched by their magical nannie and have the oppurtunity to socialize with their peers.

At the party, Amilous Black had been in the garden talking to her husband's cousin Narcissa Malfoy when she was hit with the Killing Curse. Narcissa was lucky enough to have been knocked down by Amilous' body to have missed the second green curse that would have hit her. In a matter of seconds one of the most influencial pure-bloods was gone. While the other party goers had went to apprehend the killers, two men slipped up the stairs to the floor where they could find the Black heir. These men had been widowed in the war. Their wives being murdered by Hyperion Black and now they would receive their revenge on the man who had been sent to Azkaban, by killing his only heir. When they reached the room that contained their enemies child they quickly turned the brass handle to the antique door and let themselves into the room. The room was being guarded by the house elf nannies that quickly disappear with a audiable "pop" when the men entered, they left the room in hopes of finding their masters making sure to take their young masters and ladies with men both tall and dark in nature quickly went towards the little girl who looked just like her murdered mother. The first man a muggle-born by the name of Johnson Lexus saw the innocent girl and he started to have remorse for what he and his accomplice were about to do.

Johnson had never wanted to be apart of the rebellion against pureblood supremacy but when the war had started he needed to find protection for his growing family. He may have lost his wife but he still had three daughter at his home in Wales that needed their father far more than his heart needed revenge. He also realized he would be killing an innocent, something the rebellion was against. However many things had changed since the rebellion's creation. In a time of war and crisis many morals and ideals had went out the window to be replaced with anger and self preservation. Johnson had realised this to late however by the time he had tried to stop his partner it was too late. Craig Lawson, also a muggle-born, had emitted one of the darkest spells in witchcraft from his wand that was now hurdling at the small girl. At that moment just before the spell hit Artemis the young child that had only just begun life looked up at her attacker. Her grey eyes connecting with those of the man who tried to harm her. When the spell was close enough to cause her dark brown curls to fly away from her face and for her skin to take on a sickly green glow, it stopped. The curse was nothing but a hovering green ball of light floating just inches away from the pale freckeld nose of the girl. Artemis didn't break her eye contact for she knew it was needed for her next task, one that she had seen her godfather preform many times. Artemis accomplished what only few could, Legilimency, as she looked into the mind of her attacker she could see all of his memory. From the second he got his Hogwarts letter to his wedding day. One memory specifically the one of her mother dying stood out though. When Artemis saw this memory she repelled the green curse. It flew away from her small body and towards the man who found glee in her mother's death. Just as the man's body dropped to the ground dead with a sickening crack, a third man entered the room.

Severus Snape stood shocked in the doorway of the room trying to understand what he had just saw. His god daughter had just performed an unbelievable display of accidental magic that had stopped the killing curse and repelled it. He and Johnson had no way of knowing about the other bit of magic the child had done. For if they did, they would have wondered if the magic was really accidental. Severus had to quickly take control of the situation for his god daughter's sake and for his. He knew that the powerful girl would be hunted if he didn't send her away so that is what he did. He summon one of the Black's house elves, Turvey, to take away the girl and to hide her in one of the many properties the Black family now owned. He also commanded the elf to raise the child in wake of her mother death, in a neutral way learning both the ways of the light and the dark. When the child and the elf had gone Johnson seemed to come out of his trance and started to pull his wand out but Snape was quicker. Severus Snape casted a body bind curse at the living man and banished the body of the other. He quickly used the memory charm "obliviate" on Johnson before sending him home with a new set of memories. Those of feeling guilty and not wanting to hurt the child. Once that was finished Snape quick fomed a plan so his newly appointed ward would be safe. His plan was so that Artemis could remain safe for a while longer or at least until it was time for her to go off to school.

When Severus Snape entered the parlor of the Crabble home he quickly told a lie that the Black heir had been taken before he had gotten to the room and he could find no leads of where she had been taken. His story was met by the sobs of Narcissa Malfoy who had not only lost a friend but her niece too. The Malfoy family quickly apparated home in disbelief like many other pure-bloods that the Black family was gone. The Malfoys like many other people who had been there that night, had never in the years after that night wondered about Severus' story. Severus when telling the story had the testimony of the house elves that the evil men had been in the room. However it wouldn't have made a difference either way, for even when they tried to search for the young heir they never found her and they never would until the girl entered the magical world once more. Severus may have kept the secret that the Black heir was alive and had tremendous power but nothing can stay hidden for long. For in five short years a missing heir's name will appear on the list for a Hogwart's letters only a couple dozen names before the Boy Who Lived's.

**Harry Potter is not mine. - Jrw**

**Review wanted and needed**


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